Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a free review
*3 stars*
This was a great debut story. Anything that includes the fae or fae royalty will always suck me in immediately. The world-building was well done and it really dove into the history of the fae and the world they live in. The last 5 or so chapters are what really pulled me in and brought my rating up to 3 stars. The pace of the book was really slow and that is my biggest complaint. It felt like the plot was progressing but also not at the same time and this made it hard to finish. I also felt confused at times, maybe because I do not know enough fae lore but at certain points, I felt quite lost for several pages. I have seen several people comment that they didn't feel connected to the characters and I can agree with this. Besides Gage, I wasn't really fond of or felt connected to the characters. I may be biased though because Gage reminded me of Cardan a little... and we all know how I feel about Cardan.

As I said above, the ending was the best part of this story. Action-packed, slow-burn romance, and plot twists. I couldn't put the book down for the last 10 chapters. I thought this debut was well done and I am grateful for this addition to the YA fae community. I will be looking forward to the second book.

Of Beast and Burden by Kelsey Kicklighter is a fairy tale type fantasy full of Fae and magical kingdoms. Faye is an interesting main character who develops well over the course of the story. She finds herself in a love triangle with to remarkable creatures as she journeys to claim her place in the Fae kingdom. The world building is Nice! And I like the relationships that Faye has with different characters. The book has bi representation which is cool too.

A classic fae/human YA book which I requested from NetGalley because it sounded interesting and it turned out to be a fun read. I don't read as much YA anymore but I enjoyed this all the same, mostly because Faye seemed very like a teenager and it was done in a way that was sympathetic, rather than irritating.

This book is about Faye, who finds out she is part fae and not only that but royalty. But when she is dragged into the fae world, she has to deal with the consequences of her bloodline but also how she was dragged back into the world in the first place. There is a cast of characters who alternate between helping and hindering Faye and exploration of the world itself.

There isn't anything particularly surprising or revelatory about this book but I think that was what made it so enjoyable for me. It was the kind of book I haven't read in a while and it was nicely paced and had an easy writing style to be getting on with. It was delightfully queer, with several possible love interests being introduced male and female and the main character had no angst over any of that. I loved the sister relationship between Ellie and Faye, but also the complicated one between them and Gran, which made far more sense when you found out the history behind it.

The plot itself was okay, again nothing groundbreaking there but it was enjoyable. Up until the resolution where it just so happened that an easy solution came along and Faye was able to do something which didn't trouble her conscience quite as much. There is also the fact that I was interested in that character and their character arc, which I'm not going to get anything more of because they're dead. It was unsatisfying and not the best way to get me to read on in the series.

That said, I would probably recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed these kinds of books. It was a quick read and an author I'll keep on my radar in future.

3.5 stars!

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!

Adventure, secrets, intrigue - fae politics quite a bit of flirty heat to keep the action interesting. And no spoilers, but an interesting end and send off to continue the story. Waiting for number two!

3.5
This works, but is pretty unexceptional. I developed a fondness for a couple of the characters by the end but it took way too long to form an attachment. Also the world's relationship to magic was awkward.

This was a fun take on the Fay world. It left me wanting to find out what will happen next. I can't wait for the next one to come out,

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

This was a nice easy read. A little bit of been there done that but overall I enjoyed the characters and the interactions between them kept me interested. I would be willing to read more in this world.

All things considered, I can clearly state I enjoyed this book and my worries of a possible disappointment were unjustified. There was more about the book that I liked than dislike.

But first things first. Nowadays, most fantasy series are about a heroine who is strong, courageous, and a fighter. But Faye is different. She may be stubborn, but she’s not a born warrior, nor does she know how to handle her birthright. But she is not above asking for help. Faye makes mistakes, a lot of them, while she has to learn how things in the realm work, how to fight and dance, and most important, how to master her magic. It was exciting to see how Faye gradually finds herself, mastering her abilities and even magical ones that no one has ever been able to do before.

In the beginning of the book, Faye seemed to be a bit reckless, when under the influence of her friend Delia. But once she returned into the human world and in the company of Ellie, she seemed to be more introvert and thoughtful. Yet, she immediately jumped into action once her lovely Ellie has been taken by the fae, and she knew she would do anything to get her back. Even though she had to ask for help within the Folk, which she never wanted to visit again after her first encounter.

A huge part for me liking this novel have been the characters. Yes, they were not perfect, but they still have a lot of room to improve, which makes me long for the sequel. Next to our heroine Faye and her little weird, in a cute way, Ellie, we have Gage. He seems to be the villain at first, but turns out he is just a lone fighter with a dark side and a pure, loyal heart. For the most part, Isla seemed rather pale and listless to me, though her loyalty to her chivalric task was deeply rooted in her. Unlike Isla, Kellan was just a bit too much for me. Too much flirting, too much sweet talk and a tad too much arrogance. I rolled my eyes at him once too many times, and in the end his fate didn’t exactly surprise me either. It is well known that pride always comes before a fall. But his character was needed and fitted perfectly into the plot. While the Seelie are seen as the good fae, with Soliel I quickly realized what a fake little snake in the grass she really is and that her court must be dripping with intrigue. I’m excited to see which of her plans, which she’s guaranteed to be planning, will be uncovered in the second book.

I saw this compared to Holly Black and was sorely disappointed. I don't think Black would write anything this cliché and cringe.

Best enjoyed when you want a quick and easy tale of fae court intrigue and found family.

Faye and her cousin, Ellie, live with Gran in a little town in Georgia full of superstition surrounding mythical stories of the fae. But these stories aren’t the kind that you tell your children to lull them to sleep. These are stories told to children to warn them. Faye and Ellie have long thought that these are just childhood stories meant to make the offspring of the town’s residents behave, but when Faye goes to a party at her best friend’s and her best friend follows two handsome but mysterious boys into the woods, Faye realizes that the frightening stories whispered into the ears of children are more than just cautionary tales. When her cousin, Ellie, is taken by the Seelie Queen, Faye is desperate to find any way to save her. However, unbeknownst to Faye, she is the missing heir to the Unseelie Court, one that has been ruled by the Goblin King since the death of her mother and her father. And the Goblin King? One of the very “boys” her best friend followed into the woods.

The last thing that Faye wants to do is take her place in the Unseelie Throne, and the last person she expects would want to help her is Gage, the Goblin King who sits on it. His grumpy demeanor and abrasive nature hide a fierce protector who wants the best for his people. Although his magic is strong, hers has the potential to be stronger—if only she could learn to properly wield her glamour.

With the help of Isla, Gage’s right hand, Faye begins the arduous training of both her courtly expectations and her glamour that will be required if she ever expects to be able to take the throne through the trials and get her cousin Ellie back from the Unseelie queen. But there are plots in play that none of the will see coming, creepy into their lives like a low lying fog. The stakes are high but so are the possibilities for budding romance. Will Faye be victorious, or will new friendships end in the ultimate betrayal?

I liked this story. It wasn’t my absolute favorite fae tale of all time, but Kicklighter has stiff competition. I would have like a little more from it. Some more plot, a more even pace, and some deeper dives into the characters’ personalities and development, but this is definitely a quick and intriguing read if you love fae lore.

Thanks to Netgalley and The Parliment House for the advanced copy in exchange for this fair and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group, The Parliament House for providing me with an ARC copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

To start, I have to mention the gorgeous cover! The cover is what caught my attention first, quickly followed by the synopsis, and I knew this was going to be a must read for me.

Of Beast and Burden introduces us to Faye, an 18 year old from Georgia. Except Faye isn't an ordinary 18 year old, she's actually half fae and soon crosses the veil to the Unseelie Court.

Fae books are hit or miss for me, I either love them or I can't stay interested in them.

Of Beast and Burden was definitely a hit!
Although the beginning was a bit rushed for me, we are shoved pretty fast into the main story without much of an introduction or build up leading to things. I like a little more "getting to know the story".

The world building is pretty spot on, bringing to life the Fae world plus I love the mix of Celtic mythology. While I've read many fae books, I haven't read many that mixes in Celtic mythology and that was a nice difference from the usual.

Faye's character is one that is relatable. She's not a damsel in distress waiting on the male to take care of everything but also not a perfect take action, kick booty female. Nope, she's just like most of us, she makes mistakes, she's a bit clueless at times, she's a typical teen whose main concern when we first meet her is school and tests. Faye is also bisexual and the author does a great job with this by making things not so perfectly clear. Is it the female? the male? The author doesn't force things in one direction, there's more connection to one, more romance with the other and we cheer her on all while hoping she chooses our favorite.

Overall, a great story and start of the series, I can't wait to see how the story continues!

2/5 stars!

I really wanted to love this one, but I just really didn't connect with any of the characters or the plotline. I think there is a lot of potential here, but both the characters and the story need a little more depth.

All that said, I'd definitely check out any future work from Kelsey.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review,

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and Kelsey Kicklighter for this ARC in exchange of my honest review.
From the get-go the synopsis of this book hooked me in, THEN I saw that there was a love triangle and grew more reticent…
The story had well rounded characters, each had a distinctive voice that I truly appreciated and honestly hope to see more of in the next installment, the world building was pretty solid and the plot was overall good, even the love triangle was not as bad as I feared.

The romance, love-triangle and all, was more told to us that experienced by us. We did not get to see many instances of the characters bonding, or seen them interact instead we were told what happened when they hung out.

Despite the fact that Of Burden and Beast had a very decent plot, I still had issues with it, mainly the trials that were discussed for so long. In order to get her crown, Faye –The MC—has to prepare for The Trials, a tough competition that no one knows what it will be about, which are mentioned all throughout the book. Yet, 80% in the book and the trials STILL hadn’t happened. When the trials did FINALLY kick off,they were briefly mentioned. That honestly left me wondering, why not just make book 2 about them if they were so important? or at least give them more than just two pages.

Finally, there was very little foreshadowing to the resolution, in fact it felt pretty rushed. Nonetheless, I am still excited to read the next installment!

Pick up this book if you love any of the following!

✨Fae/changelings
✨Bi Rep
✨Love triangles
✨Lost princesses
✨Grump sunshine trope

Promising premise, I can never say no to anything fae. The synopsis felt a bit like something I’ve read to many times- Faye that has always been attracted to the fae realms even as she was told stories of the fae and to be careful of their tricky ways. As we all could have guessed, she was half fae it turns out, and also a long-lost fae princess ( as per usual)
Our MC comes into power and learns to embrace this whole new side of herself.
The only part that really grabbed my attention was the cliffhanger, that was WILD. Good enough to maybe keep me curious for book two.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I chose this book because of the description and cover, but it oversold the content of the book. The writing style was quite slow and the storyline not well spaced out.

Why do I have to wait for book 2????

Fun and full of banter. A quick read that leaves you wanting more. This book was definitely a set up for the rest of the series. Introductions to characters, locations, and history of all took up a majority of the book.

The detail makes you feel like you are in there with the characters, not reading about them. You can feel the emotion of the characters as they fight with their own emotions. Reminiscent of Holly Black's The Folk of Air series, this series is sure to be a hit.


I want to thank Netgalley, and The Parliament House for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I Choose this book beacuse of the synopsis and the cover but I didn't enjoy this book.

It was really slow but sudenly something happen and I didn´t buy anything that was written.

Book review : Of Beast and Burden by Kelsey Kicklighter is a first book in Hollow and Hill series that is thrilling fantasy and full of romance.

Faye is fun and sarcastic, which I love, but she can be super clueless to the fae stuff sometimes which does get on my nerves slightly. I love Gage and his witty humor. Kellan is fantastic.

The wit and humor and sarcasm is at peak level. I love how the seelie and unseelie are brought into this book relying on myth, but also elements of the author, which is a great blend.

The main character is bi, so there are hints of that. There kind of a love triangle as in Faye can’t decide who to love- gage or her knight. I wasn’t a big fan of all that, but it doesn’t diminish the enjoyment of the book.

While the overall pace was slow, the book is an entertaining giving you lots of twists and turns which fascinates the reader to complete the book and finally find out who will win in the love triangle.

There were some pretty great lines in this book.

“Elation and fear, strange bedfellows.” – Interesting, and true.

“No. I am having emotions, and I am going to hide until they go away again.” – I feel so seen…

“You have to be the monster’s monster.” – Well, that’s dark and definitely going to come back around at some point.

“It’s been a considerably long time since you glared at me. I was starting to miss it.” – Just one of the beautiful lines out of Gage’s mouth.

“You should never tell a queen what she cannot do.” – YESSSSS! Own that title babe!

I loved reading this fascinating fantasy book and recommend all fantasy book lovers to give this book a try. I am thankful to netgalley and the publisher for providing me this book in return of an honest review.
Happy Reading!

Apologies for the late review due to unexpected circumstances. Anyways I'm back on track.

Nothing really interesting happened until the last 30% of the book. I really enjoyed the twist in the trials and the ending. Though Kellan grew on me and became my favorite character. I might even consider reading the sequel.

The setting and the style of speach was too modern for my taste, I never want to see the word scrunchie in a fantasy book ever again. For the most part the author stuck to using fae/folk but the inconsistencies bothered me. The terms fae, faerie, elves are thrown around as if they are supposed to be the same thing.

For half of the book I thought that Kellan, the seelie prince, was supposed to be a love interest but then I checked the synopsis and realized it's actually the unseelie king, Gage (and Isla) . Then 2 pages later the book was trying to gaslight me into thinking they previously had chemistry? When they just started being touchy out of the blue.

Excessive use of stupid endearments. They were repetitive and annoying.

Tip for authors:
Love triangle ✘
Polyamory ✔

Also if possible do not include incest.

Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.